Ole Miss, Tennessee have betting value to win SEC by betting analyst

Georgia and Texas are currently the favorites to win the SEC, with the Bulldogs leading the way at +170 odds, according to FanDuel. However, ESPN gambling insider Tyler Fulghum sees value with a couple of other teams in Ole Miss and Tennessee.

Fulghum spoke on the Always College Football podcast about why he is a believer in both teams and offered plenty of thoughts on the Volunteers in particular.

“I’m not afraid to throw, in the SEC, some money at teams like Ole Miss, and like Tennessee, with Nico Iamaleava,” Fulghum said. “[Josh] Heupel’s offense we saw average 46 points a game with Hendon Hooker. Even though [Joe Milton] has been impressive in his preseason debut in the NFL, was not that great of a college quarterback because of some accuracy issues. But we saw what Heupel’s offense can do if he has a good college quarterback.”

Fulghum believes that Iamaleava is just that. The former five-star quarterback is moving into the starting role this season after playing periodically last year.

Iamaleava excelled during his one start, which came in the Citrus Bowl against a really good Iowa defense. He threw for 151 yards and a touchdown while rushing for 27 yards and three scores at the Volunteers earned a 35-0 win. With an offseason to improve, Fulghum expects him to be even better this year.

“I think Iamaleava can be [a good college quarterback] after what we saw in the [Citrus] bowl, the four touchdowns,” Fulghum said. “He’s got very, very dangerous legs and his ability to run. Where Hooker’s probably the better natural passer, Iamaleava can do a little more damage with his legs.”

Fulghum does have some questions about Tennessee’s defense but feels that if the Vols can even be average on that side of the ball, they can win the SEC and reach the College Football Playoff.

“If that offense gets back up to 40-45 points a game, James Pearce could be the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL Draft as an edge rusher there,” Fulghum said. “If that defense is able to be middle-of-the-pack in the SEC, those two teams that are not Georgia, that are not Alabama, that are kind of in that second tier of the SEC… those are two programs I’d be willing to right now throw a little bit of money on that I see some value there.”

Tennessee is coming off of a 9-4 season under Josh Heupel, while Ole Miss won 11 games last year under Lane Kiffin.